


Like any other day, I know I'll find a way

by immcrtal



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, and it's like body swap, angst? fluff? flangst?, yes it's very confusing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2019-07-05 00:26:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15852504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/immcrtal/pseuds/immcrtal
Summary: She saw the horror hit his features as she realized that this was Barry, Eddie’s roommate or apartment mate whatever.





	1. Where it all begins

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by tumblr user prideand-pretty's text post: "okay so you know the soulmate au where on your 21st birthday you wake up in your soulmate’s body? imagine if you were dating someone for a long time and on your birthday you wake up and you’re in their apartment so you’re like “yes it’s them!!!” and then you look in a mirror and you’re in the body of their roommate."

The first thing she did when she woke up was touch his bed, she would know it anywhere, the pattern of his sheets, the feel of the fabric against her shoulders and legs, the smell of the detergent he used, she’d know all of it anywhere. So when all of those were ticked off the checklist she smiled to herself, her arms stretching up to do a little victory dance, it was him.

After a little while she decided she should get up and you know go talk to him, as she sat up she examined the room. _Huh_ somethings had changed since her last visit.. Stretching out her arms one last time she groaned, his voice sounded also a bit different, mornings maybe?

She walked towards the room’s door, past a mirror when she noticed something, dark chestnut hair. “Eddie has blond hair.” She whispered. She found herself looking down and realized how fucking high she was, fuck.

She pulled herself to the mirror, and what or rather who, she saw was definitely not Eddie. He was tall, dark brown hair, freckles all over..and had um abs, yeah she didn’t stare that much. (she tried).

She saw the horror hit his features as she realized that this was Barry, Eddie’s roommate or apartment mate whatever. He was always out, she never saw him clearly or fully, their most memorable encounter was a few months back.

* * *

 

_One night where Iris decided to show up at Eddie’s to surprise him after they hadn’t seen each other for a few days (both due to the busy days they had at their respective jobs), she rang the doorbell anxious to see her boyfriend when a rather tall guy with glasses opened the door instead. He wasn’t even paying attention to her just quickly slipping on his coat, taking an umbrella. As they switched places, she was about to close the door, he turned his head briefly and something changed, something in his eyes, like he recognized her, she was about to ask him what was wrong but he quickly made his way down the stairs, and she closed the door eventually forgetting about his green eyes. Eddie told her that night that Barry worked hard to escape whatever he left in his past, a rather vague explanation that made Iris curious, and wanting to actually get to know him, up until Eddie rolled them over and was on top of her, then all thoughts about him were gone._

* * *

 

As she glossed over the past she scanned his body, then quickly stopped. She had to stop. She walked around his room trying to figure out what her next move could be. It was around 9 AM, Eddie was already at work so she could get out of the place without looking odd or out of places, but first she had to make a phone call. She walked towards his night table, sort of in awe at the fact that she got there so quickly thanks to his long limbs, (maybe this was going to be fun).

She dialed the number and waited for an answer.

“Good Morning, this is Linda Park from Central City Picture News, how may I help you?”

“Linda, it’s me, Iris.”


	2. But it's hard to hear, that distant voice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "-she loved Eddie this was just some mistake, the universe can make mistakes right? She chooses Eddie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> title from aqualung's To The Wonder

_**YESTERDAY** _

As she walked into CCPN, she sighed, tomorrow was the day. The day she’d meet her soulmate. Well sort of. Waking up in the body of your soulmate on your 21st birthday wasn’t the best way to find out who the universe has matched you with, but still, it was apart of life.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she started prepping Linda’s files for the day. Iris went into this internship thinking it would end quickly or just result in people using her for only ‘get my coffee’ purposes but thank god for Linda. Linda Park is a 23 year old reporter/journalist who has made the public fall in love with her through her tough but honest reporting, and justice seeking personality. She was to be Linda’s intern, still is to the eyes of half of the people in the building but Linda sees her as an equal, treats her as an equal, and let’s her actually give pitches and her point of view on things or how she would do it, and after a couple of drinks, and nights that none of them will ever speak of again, they became close friends.

As she made her way to Linda’s desk her mind was fogged once again by her soulmate, she was so deep in it that she didn’t hear Linda call her.

“Flower, are you okay?” her friend asked. Iris snapped out of it quickly and slapped on a smile. “Uh oh, yes! And here is your day planned out, and you said you wanted my idea on the Mardon case, so I wrote it out and-” She stopped mid-sentence, Linda was looking at her with the ‘don’t shit me West’ face.

 She sighed. “Iris what is it, you know you can talk to me?” Linda said.

 “I know it’s just-” Iris started and Linda finished her sentence for her. “Tomorrow’s your birthday, and not just any birthday it’s your 21st birthday..”

 Iris let herself fall down on the chair in front of her friend, and put her face in her hands. “Lin, I don’t know why it’s just, I have this feeling,i don’t know how to explain it, it just feels like something big is gonna happen, and I don’t know if it’s gonna be good or bad. It feels like everything is gonna change tomorrow.”

 Linda walked towards her and crouched in front of her. “Iris, of course it’ll change things, you’re quite literally going to be in your soulmate’s body, what did you expect?”

 “I mean that’s obvious I know that but..” Iris said. And Linda pushed on. “But..? But what?”

“I’m scared, it won’t be his, it won’t be Eddie’s body, Lin.”

Linda sighed. “I thought you loved him, and that this is the longest relationship you’ve had that hasn’t turned bitter, or was that not true? You have to be confident, do you believe in your love?”

“Yes.” Iris said trying to convince herself. She didn’t mean to, she did love Eddie, but sometimes their relationship just felt empty, she felt something was always missing. But with Eddie everything was the same, common, normal and predictable. It was a safety net. So she stayed in their content peaceful space, not daring to look any further. She couldn’t bear to wake up in another body than his, the mere thought of it terrified her, because it forced her to confront the truth behind their relationship.

“Iris?” Linda snapped her out of her thoughts.

 “Huh?”

“I said if you love him truly, and believe in it, things will end up your way, the fates aren’t assholes.”

 Linda stood up and started reading what Iris had prepared. She wondered how Linda’s 21st had gone, and before she could stop herself she asked, “So how was your soulmate outer body experience?”

 Linda smiled. “After my experience, we looked for each other, and fell madly in love-” Iris smiled, “-we decided to get married the minute after we found each other, but it didn’t work out in the end, we wanted different things, and eventually he got sick, but the point in all of this, Iris? Is that, that was my experience not yours, some people end up spending the rest of their life with the person they wake up as on their 21st but some people don’t, and that’s just life, don’t take my experience as a reason to be nervous, you’ll be fine, everything will be fine.”

 “Okay.” Iris breathed out. Linda smiled, the side of her eyes crinkling. “Now, West let’s get to work.”

* * *

 As she thought back on her conversation with Linda, Iris wanted to punch herself in the face, she jinxed herself.

* * *

 As she entered CCPN, people stared, she was about to ask why, but then remembered that they could only see, Barry, a random dude that has never stepped into their building. She looked down, and practically ran towards Linda’s office.

 She quickly entered Linda’s office and sighed as the door closed behind her.

 “Ah, Bartholomew, I’ve been expecting you..” Linda said.

 Iris, or rather Barry looked at Linda with a confusing look. “Bartholomew?”

 Linda laughed. “Oh shit yeah, it’s you Iris, anyways Bartholomew is actually Barry’s full name. I searched him up.” She pushed some papers towards her. Iris nodded ‘no’ she couldn’t go into details, she didn’t want to know more, she loved Eddie this was just some mistake, the universe can make mistakes right? She _chooses_ Eddie.

 “Eh suit yourself.”

 “Anyways that’s a mouthful, I get why he goes by Barr..What are you looking at?” Iris asked when she saw Linda checking her out.

 “You got a pretty boy with green eyes? That also has a good fashion sense? As your soulmate? Lucky you flower!” Linda let out.

 Iris suddenly felt exposed, and blushed. And because Barry was white as fuck, well the blush was pretty evident. Linda laughed even harder.

 “Stop it!”

 “Oh c’mon don’t tell me you didn’t stare at the mirror for a good while, Iris.”

 And _of course_ , Iris lied.

* * *

 After an hour of explanation, Linda started laughing even harder than the last time. “So let me get this straight, your soulmate is your current boyfriend’s apartment buddy? Iris this is romcom gold, let me contact studios near Central so they can get on this new story.”

Iris groaned. “Linda this is serious, I don’t know what to do, I don’t know this guy, and he also happens to be the apartment ‘buddy’ with the man I love.”

Linda cringed at her saying ‘the man I love’ but she decided to dismiss it thinking that it was probably due to it coming from Barry’s mouth and not hers.

“I mean, Iris you should talk to him, tell him that you don’t want to put that much thought into this thing, I’m sure he’ll understand, he knows Eddie, pretty sure he respects him too, so you need to communicate with him.”

 Iris sighed, “Guess so, thanks Lin.”

 As she headed towards the door, she suddenly remembered something.

“By the way, where the fuck am I? I mean my body?” She asked

“Probably knocked out, at home sleeping, this whole thing just takes a lot of energy, and shit, and how have you never heard about this, has no on ever told you about their experiences?” Linda told her.

She shrugged. “Nah they always stick to the ‘The Love Of My Life’ part more.”

* * *

 She went back to Eddie and Barry’s place, what else was there to do, she couldn’t go up to her father, or Wally without them being confused as to why some random white boy was talking to them.

She slowly opened the door, paying that Eddie didn’t finish early. And to her delight, he hadn’t.

She stepped back into Barry’s room but this time paying more attention to it’s content.

* * *

It was simple yet _him_. Even though she didn’t know him at all, everything felt right in his room. His curtains were a dark shade of red. A couple of posters were hanged here and there. From a periodic table poster to an artistic take at a star wars’ movie poster.

She turned her attention to his closet, this morning she had rummaged through it quickly to find something to wear, but now she was actually seeing what he wore on a everyday basis. Lots of cardigans, sweaters, skinny jeans, sweats, a tux (she tried not to let her mind wander to how he’d look in it). As she rummaged through his closet, she found a CCPD sweater, her dad never said a thing about him, nor had she heard anything from him, now that she thinks of it, that would remind her of Barry. Unconsciously she held up the piece of clothing to her, his face, and tucked it in it. _A walk beside the sea_. After a couple of minutes of reveling in the comfort of his shirt and scent Iris drew her attention to his desk, which was rather messy compared to the rest of his room. Books were scattered at the corner of his desk, a microscope was at the opposite corner, his glasses sat on top of books with different branches of science as each title, she gently brushed over the frames before moving on. His laptop was closed on a book, by Sophocles, guess he’s into tragedy. As she pushed the screen further she saw a post it stuck to it, her heart jumped at the words written;

 

 

**IRIS WEST? WHO IS SHE-**

 

 

He _knew_. Their encounter so many nights ago suddenly made sense.

She couldn’t help but feel a bit angry, why hadn’t he told her, or sought her out?

 _You’re with Eddie, his roommate,_ her mind reminded her.

 _“Oh.”_ She let out, as if she had suddenly forgotten that she loved Eddie.

 She took the piece of paper, made her way towards his bed, and fell asleep while clutching it tightly to her chest.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was that, as promised, way longer with more background infos, next chapter will take a while, but your kind comments have kept me quite motivated and will continue to do so for the next chapter. Also heads up next chapter will probably be from Barry's point of view. x


	3. Left my soul in her vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "-Also Eddie didn’t know, god knows what blondie locks would do if he just went up to him and just said :“So like yo your longtime girlfriend is actually my soulmate..”"

Barry opened his eyes slowly, sleep weighing down his body, if he’s being completely honest this is the best sleep he’s had in a big while.

As he sits up, a piece of yellow paper falls to the floor, his heart stops beating. His eyes quickly go to his laptop screen only to see what he’s been fearing. She was here. She was in his body, in his room. He can somehow smell a faint scent of her lingering in his sheets.

His fingers slowly reached out for the crumpled piece of paper, and unconsciously he held it up to his heart. 

* * *

He remembers all those months ago, when he moved into to this place, moved in with Eddie. At the time he had no idea, he was about to walk into something even more complicated than the life he left behind.

He had heard stories of soulmates prior to waking up in the body of his, when he was young his father talked about waking up in the body of the girl next door, whom he also had a crush on, and talking about how she became _more than_ just the girl next door, when she returned his feelings and that they made it work, he remembers the smile on his mother’s face as, his father went on about their adventures and experiences together. 

Cisco and Caitlin, found love, and their soulmates in the eyes of the people they constantly tried to up in various school projects, essays, bake offs, any competition literally. Cynthia and Ronnie.

Even the _not-so lucky but not-so miserable_ Ralph, who didn’t get the privilege to wake up in another person’s body but eventually found literally the most perfect person for them, Sue and then also got married and were still going strong? 

All the cliche tropes, that were tooth rotting and simple; _why couldn’t he have gotten something similar?_ The fates were literally laughing in his face.

It had only been about 7 months and everything he built was already slowly falling apart, because of this stupid soulmate situation. And he hates himself even more for feeling safe and all warm inside when he first saw her after his birthday.

He remembers it like it was _yesterday._  

* * *

He had completely forgotten it was his birthday, so when he woke up, fell on the floor and heard a rather high pitched yelped, he was even more confused. He felt small, and light, and when he looked around him and saw everything but his things, he understood. And let out another high pitched scream. He quickly ran to her bathroom and saw her.

And well. 

She was beautiful, dark hair, eyes full of wonder _(and sleep)_ , cute nose _(oh so cute)_ , sharp face, cheeks that he wanted to cup and kiss and shoulders, smooth shoulders and lower.. He stopped himself, feeling the heat creep up. He quickly covered his, her body with a robe he found near. He tried to remain calm but then a phone rang out of nowhere and almost gave him a heart attack.

He answered.

A strong, female voice called out. “Miss Iris West, where are you??? Your 30 minutes late, and honestly today might be busy and I really need you flower.”

Barry didn’t even give a second thought to what he was gonna say and just blurted out “ _I’msickIcan’tcoughcoughseeyoutomorrowflower?”_ then hanged up. 

Nice save Bartholomew.

He sat back down on the bed, and stayed there, memorizing her name, her scent and the feel of her sheets. Something about her, was different. And yes that sounds like the most overused line but he _wasn’t_ and _isn’t_ kidding.

After that day, he put up that note to not forget her name, because he knew he couldn’t spend his days trying to find her or thinking about her, so he continued his daily life, entered an internship to potentially become a CSI thanks to some good words put in by yours truly, detective _pretty boy_ also known as Edward Thawne.

But every now and then his mind still wandered to the eyes that stared back at him when he looked into the mirror and he blushed, he wished he could see her again, maybe build something out this. like numerous friends and his parents had done. 

And one day he got his wish, _in the worst way possible_.

It’s not like he didn’t know Eddie had a girlfriend. Eddie had told him he had something serious going on with some girl, and that some nights the lights may stay on longer than usual due to his girlfriend visiting, Barry would just wink and say  _“Yeah I don’t need the details.”_ And then proceed to spend those nights listening to music and studying. Until one night he had to head out because Joe, his superior, the detective with who he was sort of working with for this internship and would potentially become a co-worker called him in to do some basic practice stunts on a new basic crime scene. He opened the front door shouting to Eddie that he’d be out late, he was slipping on glasses, jacket, and taking and umbrella. He was so distracted that he didn’t even notice that he had brushed past a petite woman, as he turned to descend to stairwell he raised his eyes to give the woman an apology, but who he saw wasn’t any girl, it was her, it was Iris, and for a few seconds, they held each other’s gaze before Barry chickened out and practically ran outside.

With the rain pouring down on him, he put two and two together, she was his roommate’s girlfriend.

* * *

As he remembers the past few months, Barry groans, why did his life have to be so complicated. 

He made his way out of bed, to head to work. 

A part of him had a bit of hope, that she’d show up or contact him, due to her,  _you know_ finding the paper with her name and everything, but 2 days went by, a week, another week, and nothing.

He gave up. 

He understood though, _I mean finding out your soulmate is your long time boyfriend’s roommate, was messy, all over the place_ , not to mention he didn’t want to make her feel as if she was forced to love him due to the fates being little troublesome fucks. It was up to her, he didn’t care. (he was lying, he unfortunately did care)

Also Eddie didn’t know, god knows what blondie locks would do if he just went up to him and just said: _“So like yo your longtime girlfriend is actually my soulmate..”_

Barry tried not to dwell on the _what ifs_ and _her_ , and went on with his life, until one night, a month later, he heard a knock. 

Eddie had been on a late shift (the precinct needed him badly for a case, he was linked to). And usually when he came back from late shifts, he was too tired to open the door with his keys so he’d just knock, and Barry being a light, or a _not at all_ sleeper, would go and open the door for the poor tired man.

But the person waiting for him on the other side wasn’t Eddie, it was _Iris._

Dark circles clearly hidden under some light make up, lipstick, a dark shade of red, coffee cup in one hand, a simple black dress and leather jacket, she looked beautiful.

“Hey?” He let out in a confused tone, fearing that he was dreaming, but when she answered back, with what seemed like an involuntary blinding smile, he knew it wasn’t.

She was actually here.

The words she let out after her smile, though, they made his heart stop.

_“We need to talk.”_

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> G O D. I think this has some of the worst writing I have ever done, and I'm so terribly sorry, I knew that if I didn't update today I'd probably end up not having time or make up excuses for being lazy. So please it's almost 12 at night or morning please ignore my mistakes and bad verb choices. So anyways? What did you think?  
>  
> 
> (note: next chapter will be..in a ''''''long'''' not that long while, just b patient les amis) 
> 
> EDIT: i don’t have any knowledge in schools and studying + internships in the states so I’m just writing bullshit when it comes to those infos :)


	4. And I'm the fool that wants you badly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hi, I’m Iris West, your ex-soulmate, and now friend.”

He pushed himself to the side quickly, his heart beating faster than usual.

* * *

 Funny how the sight of her could leave him breathless but the sound of her could destroy him, all of that while not even knowing her closely.

* * *

“We need to talk about-” She moves her hands between them insinuating their current and quite permanent situation.

“I know Iris.” Saying her name, just feels right, it rolled perfectly off his tongue, and just _Iris._

She notices his dazed thoughts obviously, by the way she looks at him and asks: “What, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Uh no nothing, I just- yes we _need_ to talk.”

“Yes right, right!” She adds quickly.

She makes her way to their, him and Eddie’s kitchen of course, and sits down on one of the chairs, while he opts for leaning against one of the counters. 

“So..I guess you know that I’m dating Eddie?” He nods.

“So you understand that this whole thing is just a big sort of misunderstanding, because I _love_ Eddie, with my _whole_ heart.” To emphasize her words she puts a hand to her heart. 

He tries to ignore how her words sting, and continues listening.

“And I know that this might be _as_ confusing to you as it is to me, but we don’t have to act on this? Maybe the universe got it wrong, it happens, like my best friend, she found hers and it didn’t work out.”

There’s a silence that envelops them and he realizes that she’s silently asking him a question.

He finally raises his gaze, and she’s looking at him as if _he is_ the answer to her worries, as if his answer determines if she’ll breathe or not in the following seconds. And he doesn’t want to disappoint her, or confuse her with these feelings he has, I mean it’s stupid either way, so he slaps on a smile and quietly says yes.

The lie is worth it. Because he’s rewarded with her relieved smile. She sort of jumps out of her seat to hug him.

It’s awkward and she’s so small, but when he’s out of his initial state of ‘fuck!???’ he leans the side of his face to the top of her head, and they stay like that for a couple of seconds, seconds that last eternities, if you ask him honestly.

Slowly she pulls back, coughing to clear the tension that has somehow found it’s way back to them. She offers him her hand and a smile.

“Hi, I’m Iris West, your ex-soulmate, and now friend.”

He grins, “Hi, I’m Barry Allen.”

As their hands touch, he feels a jolt, and by the way her hand abruptly moves away he guesses she does too, but then she just nervously laughs, shrugs it and offers her hand back.

* * *

 They shake hands, and he knows this is going to be a long ride.

_Friends it is, then._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [hides]
> 
> I am so so sorry, it's been a while and I wanted to update so many times but I hated my writing in the previous chapters, and on top of that I still haven't touched the sound that we make is thunder..so mess,
> 
> and I know this is short but because i'm procrastinating you might get another chapter later today~
> 
> xo


	5. Are we really surprised that we're not in control?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What about you, Bartholomew? What’s your story?”

3 hours laters, they were, on _his and Eddie’s_ couch, her legs propped up against the headrest, feet high, and head comfortable near the edge of the seat, _he_ , on the other hand was sitting close to her, one leg folded on the couch, arm resting on top of the headrest and hand support his cheek as he listened to her speak.

“So basically that’s what I do.” She says as she struggles to reach backwards towards the small table at the centre of their tiny ‘living’ room, to take a handful of popcorn, he’s popped.

Unconsciously, he leans towards the bowl, takes and gives it to her. “So you’re a reporter, that’s pretty fucking cool…..And your dad is detective Joe West? Is that why I always hear Joe, whisper to Eddie: _don’t tell anything to her_ , after a new case surfaces?”

She takes the bowl from him. “Thank you- but then registers his words and snaps her head back at him, _What_?! My dad really says that!?” Barry lifts his hands up in defense. “Hey don’t look at me, I’m just a newbie starting out, hearing rumors go around, you’re the one who’s poking her nose in stuff that doesn’t concern them!” She shifts, lifting her upper body up to look at him directly, and he suddenly forgets how to breathe again.

“Oh so that’s how it is _Bartholomew_?” She replies with a cocky smile. And yeah way to ruin the mood. He can’t stop the groan that escapes his lips. “Oh come on! That’s not fair Iris!” She laughs at his genuine upset front, and playfully hits his knee. After she’s done having fun, she moves herself to mirror him, putting her arm on the headrest. “Well I don’t poke my nose in trouble for myself, well at least _not entirely_ , I do some of it for the senior editor, Linda.”

 Barry tilts his head to the side, “Who’s Linda?”

“The woman you spoke to when you were in my body, dummy!” She tells him as if it were obvious from the beginning.

“Oh, well she sounded nice?”

“It’s because she _is_ nice, she’s like a soulmate you know? Someone that I hold very close to my heart.” Barry looks at her, and he sees her, smiling softly, observing her hands, as if she were suddenly shy, as if she had just been vulnerable in front of him. He doesn’t want to make her feel exposed or comfortable so he just slowly tells her that, that’s pretty sweet.

“I know right? I don’t know where I’d be without her.” She replies. He nods.

“What about you, Bartholomew? What’s _your_ story?” And he doesn’t know why but he tells her the truth.

“Well, my mom, well she got murdered when I was about 8, dad got arrested for it, even with the minimal evidence, he’s out now though, but yeah I bounced from a bunch of foster homes, until like 3 years ago, because legally I was _you know_ ? An adult, and yeah I started working at StarLabs, as extra credit for Uni and whatever which led to this internship thing at CCPD that’ll have me, become an _actual_ CSI by the end of the second year.”

He glanced at her to see if she was ready to run for the door, but she wasn’t. She was looking at him, eyes on him, fixed unmoving, her lips parted as if he had just dropped the biggest bomb on her- _and shit he did._ He quickly scrambled to make up an excuse. “God, I’m sorry that was pretty depressing, I didn’t want to- Fuck, shit I’m sorry Iri-” But she stops him by touching his shoulder. “Don’t apologize, it’s fine, I’m glad you told me, really, but I am sorry for your loss.”

He drops his gaze, suddenly becoming interested in the color of the carpet set under the couch. He can still feel her eyes on him,  like she’s trying to say something, to make him feel better. But the thing is that he’s accepted his life, the aspects of it, a long time ago, he’s not ashamed of anything, he just chooses not to delve too much on it, knowing that it would drive him mad. He’s still looking at his down when he speaks again. “Listen Iris, there’s nothing to feel sorry about. I’m okay, it’s been a long time, and I just- I just felt comfortable telling you about it.”

“Well I’m glad that you did, but you don't have to dismiss it completely, you are allowed to be mad or sad. Sometimes these things they make you who you are, and let you feel _more humane_ , _more you,_ so you don’t have to shrug it off, and if you ever want to talk about it again I’ll be by your side.” She says.

He finally looks back at her, and she’s smiling softly. “Thanks, Iris.”  Trying to clear the tension and add some humour he adds to that- “I see the _literary, posh, fancy wording_ , journalist Iris really took over there huh? You really do have a way with words West.” She offers him a small laugh. “Well I do try my best, Allen.”

He’s grateful that she’s letting the conversation move on instead of trapping, and pulling his sob story.

* * *

“What so no friends?” She asks. He scoffs, “Plenty, I have _plenty_ but they’re always sucking faces, so when you’re at a bar or a party, it gets a bit sad being the 6 or 7th wheel.”

And she laughs out loud again, _music to his ears._ “How about you, miss West?” He throws at her. “Well you know there’s Linda, boss slash best friend, there’s also Wally, annoying little brother, Laurel, lawyer and badass, but that’s it. 

He recognizes the name Laurel,  “Your friend Laurel... Does she know anyone by the name of Oliver..” Iris looks at him impressed, “Yes actually? Laurel talks about how much she hates his rich ass, but you know what I think?” He tilts his head to the side, motioning her to go on. So she does, she leans next to his ear and says “They’re fucking.” “Or at least, she _wants_ too.” She adds leaning back.

Barry considers it, he knows Oliver never shuts up about her; always complaining or ranting about something Laurel did or said, not in a bad way, just for the sake of you know? _Talking._ “You’re probably right, Oliver never shuts the fuck up about her.” “What a small world, we have buddies that fuck. We have more in common than we thought, maybe us meeting was destiny after all!” She says to him.

“Yeah.” He adds with a laugh. And then they’re both staring at each other. She’s looking at him with _that_ look again, the same look she gave him when she first walked into the apartment today. As if  he was the answer to her worries, as if he was the person who held the key to making them disappear. And he doesn’t know why but he leans forward, and so does she.

They’re so painfully close, he can feel her breath on his jaw. Her eyes are closed. His fingers slowly make their way to her shoulder. And as she’s sending her own fingers slowly up his knee, a turn in the lock, pushes them apart. _Eddie._

* * *

“Hey, Barry- Iris?” The shorter blond man lets out. “What are you doing here? I thought I told you that I wouldn’t be free today until 11?”

Barry watches as Iris’ face changes going from something unreadable to shock. “ _Oh_ well, you know I found out, he’s sort of my- um, soul- dad’s lead CSI buddy, so I wanted to get the information you _deny_ me.” 

 _Nice save_ , he thinks.

He stays quiet until he sees her glancing at him, eyeing him _speak, say something._

* * *

“Don’t worry though I didn’t tell her anything, your girlfriend has a way with words, but Joe has a way with guns, so he wins…” He says quickly as he plasters a smile on his face.

Iris looks at him gratefully. “Oh ha ha, with the small amount of time we’ve spent together I can say that you, are a blabbermouth. Anyways it was nice meeting you, Barry, see you tomorrow babe.”

* * *

With a kiss to Eddie’s lips, Iris leaves.

Barry feels like he can finally breathe, he gets up from the couch scratching the back of his neck, nervous tactic.

“What is going between you two?” Eddie asks with a joking tone.

He almost bumps against the couch and falls over. “What? Uh- I nothing, everything’s fine. I don’t know.”

“Ooookay? Anyways, tomorrow I need you to do the groce-”

And as he’s staring at Eddie, his voice and face fade away. All he can see, hear and feel is Iris.

* * *

After Eddie’s done, Barry nods, knowing full and well he didn’t hear a single word his roommate just said, because he can still feel _her_ breath on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> longest chapter I've written in a while lmao, phew so that was cute right? right? don't worry there's plenty more ust and angst coming.
> 
> as always kudos and comments keep me going. xo


	6. The sibling input

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Anyways who’s Barry?” He asks calmly with a smile on his lips.

“Iris...Iris! Earth to West!” Iris snapped out of her thoughts. “Yes Wally what is _so_ urgent that you had to disturb my peaceful thinking?”

It was one of those days where Wally had free time in his charged schedule that made up his mechanics program. During those days Wally would visit Iris at work, catch up, talk about work, studies, in which she’d give him advice about the numerous girls in his life, and he would laugh at her and read her article pitches. She loves her brother and _these_ days but god sometimes he really does annoy her.

Wally stuck out his tongue, and Iris rolls her eyes. “Am I supposed to believe you're 19? Because you sure _as hell_ aren't acting like one.” Wally looked at her with fake hurt, hand to his chest. “Excuse me? Love you too sis.” Iris sighs and nods at him, to actually get to his point of disturbance.

“Anyways who’s Barry?” He asks calmly with a smile on his lips. Iris almost chokes on air. Out of shock, not because she has anything to hide, no not at all? She coughs and clears her throat, not daring to glance at Wally. “Um what, who- who told you about Barry?” He lets out a huff, as if the answer was obvious. She raises her eyes to find him looking at her straight in the eyes, arms crossed in front of her desk. “Linda, Iris, _Linda_ told me.”

Suddenly Iris gets out of her panicked and nervous state and arches a brow, “Since when do you and Linda talk and since when did you go from ‘Park’ to first name basis?"

And now he’s the one who’s choking. “I- um, you know now we’re friends, it’s not a big deal, it’s not even that deep, she’s just very nice, and also had a history as a sports reporter so that’s cool and- hey guys and girls _can_ be friends!”

She starts laughing, and Wally grunts, “You’re just trying to avoid my question, who’s Barry, Iris?” Iris goes quiet for a second. “Ugh okay, _okay_ , he’s my soulmate..”

There’s a moment of silence, he looks devastated, maybe her brother loves Eddie too, and can’t bear to lose him either. She’s about to console him and tell him that she’ll stay with Eddie despite the odds, but before she can open her mouth, Wally bursts out laughing.  _Like really loudly, clutching his stomach, wiping off tears._

Iris’ sympathy for her brother vanishes in a matter of seconds. “What’s so funny?” She asks, interested in what’s about to come out of her brother’s mouth. “Well I mean, blondie locks is a fucking bore.”

“Wally!” She snaps, heat rising to her cheeks. He puts a hand to his mouth to stop a laugh from coming out. “Hey you asked me! Come on Iris you have to admit that Eddie is the blandest white guy in Central City, I mean the dude’s nice but…”

Iris raises her hands to signal him to stop. “Why am I even listening to _your_ opinion on my love life, you’re still a fetus! And it doesn’t matter I _love_ Eddie.”

Wally sighs. “A) I’m only two years younger than you, B) you asked me what was funny and I answered and C) try convincing your face about your feelings.” As he says that, he starts to walk away. Iris still trying to understand what he means by ‘C)’ asks him, “Where are you going?”

Wally looks back. “To meet this Barry dude, heard dad say his name once or twice, he probably works at CCPD.”

Iris is about to protest but Wally makes a run for the door before she even has a chance.

_Fuck._

* * *

Barry’s going through an old case, by the infamous duo, the Mardon brothers, when he sees someone leaning against the door of _‘his’_ office, from the corner of his eye. He looks up to find a slightly younger guy, grinning as if Christmas had come early. Barry can’t quite put his finger on who, but the dude has an uncanny resemblance to someone he knows.

“Uh hi can I help you?” He asks the guy. The guy practically jumps of joy, and moves quickly towards him. “Uh yeah, um so you know CCU? Yeah well they sent out a bunch of notices a couple weeks back to places like police departments about- er...Students visiting them and their different specialities so yeah um I was sent to you, I mean CCDP.” He says quickly.

He doesn’t sound quite convincing but, Barry doesn’t want to go against anything CCPD has accepted so he smiles back slowly. “Sure so…” “Oh _oh_ my name’s W- Rudolph, I mean.” He answers with a bright smile, his hand coming forward.

Barry takes his hand hesitantly. “Nice to meet you Rudolph, I’m Barry?”

“Yes, Rudolph that’s my name and it’s a pleasure to meet you Barry!” The guy, Rudolph, says quickly.

“Okay, so what do you wanna see Rudolph?” Because Barry has no idea what the fuck he’s supposed to do in situations like this.

Rudolph just shrugs his shoulders, “Oh I don’t know just start by saying how you got into forensics, your studies, and so on?”

And that’s all Barry needs to jump into how he started all of this, and how the subject keeps fascinating him despite the fact that it might be _really_ fucking boring to some. As he’s about to discuss about an old case about a man who got hit with hail while still being indoors (a case he got to see while still studying) when detective West walks in. Barry stops his storytelling. “Hey detective West, did you need anything?”

“How many times have I told you to call me by Joe, Barry..” Barry is about to apologize but he notices that Joe’s eyes are fixated on the back of Rudolph’s head, and Rudolph has his eyes shut as if he’s just been caught. And that’s when Barry sees the resemblance- “Wait you’re Iris’ brother, detectiv- Joe’s son, _Wally_.”  ~~Rudolph~~ , Wally sighs and turns sideways so he can face both him and Joe. “You’ve caught me, yes I am Iris’ brother” And now Joe’s confused, “Wait, Barry how do you know Iris?”

Barry looks at Wally, and Wally’s eyes tell him, _avoid it_ , “I- uh Eddie! Eddie, yes she came to visit Eddie once and we sort of met, yes, that’s how I know her.”

Wally mouths to him _‘Subtle dude, nice going!’_ Barry shoots him a death glance.

Joe looks back and forth between him and Wally and just walks away mumbling something about his kids acting like kids, and him being to old for this.

When Barry finally deems the coast to be clear, he turns his gaze towards Wally who is grinning.

“What?” Barry asks.

He shrugs. “Oh nothing, I like you, _a lot_ , that’s all.”

“Uh thanks?”

Wally leans towards him to pat his shoulder. “Anytime dude, it was nice meeting you, we should hang out sometime.”

Before Barry can ask what the fuck just happened Wally’s already gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wally is a Barry/Iris enthusiast, and also into Linda? Yes. Yes he is.


	7. Maybe

It’s been 12 days since he’s last seen her. And no, he has not been counting the hours since he’s last felt her touch, no he’s not that pathetic. 

 

Except  _ he is. _

 

He can still feel the warmth of her breath fanning his cheeks, he can still see the way her eyes lit up in amusement and mischief as she told him oh so seriously about how she  _ definitely _ did not eavesdrop or push Eddie and Joe for insider scoops on freaky cases. He can still feel the warmth that bloomed in his chest as he watched her speak so passionately about her work. 

 

And  _ Christ _ , he is so fucking screwed. 

 

The thing about Iris, is the he never intended on acting on the whole soulmate thing, he was happy to leave it be, for the sake of Eddie, he loves Eddie, everyone loves all the Eddies of the world. Don’t they? And Iris seemed so stuck upon proving, Eddie was the love of her life, and that she loved him despite her current soulmate-u-ation. It should’ve been easy. She would stay by Eddie’s side and Barry would ignore her existence, until the day he died.

But it wasn’t that simple. Not when she also seemed to want them to be friends, because yes  _ of course _ platonic soulmates exist! And while, yes he did entertain the idea during the countless nights he stayed up  _ not  _ thinking about her, after the body swap, nothing had prepared him for the impact she would have on him, when present in the flesh. All bets were off, when he saw her that night, coming to see Eddie. He knew before she spoke to him, or even looked at him, that this was going to be impossibly hard. 

Somehow it managed to become infinitely harder, he thought as he failed to keep his focus on his cases instead of her and her brilliant smile. 

_ Would it be so bad? _ He thought- to tell her that he has not been able to stop thinking about her.  _ Of course it would be bad _ , his other thoughts countered, think about Eddie, think about how it’ll destroy the thing she cherishes so much.

He groaned out loud, and put a hand to his face. “God, what did I do to deserve this.”

 

“Gee, I don’t know, deciding to be a CSI?” a female voice said from the door. He looked up quickly trying to explain himself. 

He was met with, a blonde woman, with piercing blue eyes, and cop’s badge tucked in her pocket. 

He was about to ask who she was but she stumbled forward with her own words. “I uh- sorry did that come off as rude? Sorry, wow, I am so embarrassing. Wow this place is big, detective West did not tell me there were cute guys like you- Oh fuck wow that was wildly inappropriate, god please someone tell me to shut up..” 

Yeah he was speechless now, because she seemed to have it harder than he did. To ease her nerves, he just laughed and got up to offer her his hand. “Hi, I’m Barry, and you are?”

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her hair, and smiled. “Patty, Patty Spivot.” He smiled back. They held hands for an awkwardly long period, both blushing a bit. When her hand started sweating a bit, she pulled it back quickly to her side, and trying to come up with excuses. 

 

He motioned her to breathe and take seat. And that’s how he spent his evening getting to know Patty, and laughing with her, and sharing terrible science puns.

Maybe he could forget about Iris.

 

_ Maybe. _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is so so so short but I felt terrible for not updating in so long, and I'm sorry but there's cegep and the fact that the flash has been so sucky recently, my babies are um really not getting the content they deserve, but yeah game changer, and I promise the next chapter will be Long. 
> 
> also expect an update for the other stories I haven't touched in ten thousand years but like later, june-ish.
> 
> p.s. I quit the show so there's that;

**Author's Note:**

> A small thing I wrote to get back into writing. What do you guys think? This is quite short I know but if you guys want more I can promise you chapter 2 is gonna be longer and with more plot!
> 
> find me on tumblr @lindaspark/


End file.
